Wembley Arena changes its name...

[max_tranmere]

Wembley Arena, probably Britain's most famous indoor arena and one known throughout the world, is changing its name to the 'SSE Arena, Wembley'. I'm sure this will be referred to as just the 'SSE Arena' and the suffix left off. I think this is a shame, I just hope the Stadium isn't next. Could you imagine it? Generations and generations of football fans who have said "we hope to get to Wembley", "we're off to Wembley", "only the second time in a century we've made it to Wembley", etc, could become "we're off to the Burger King Bowl in London", "if we win this weekend we're through and we're off to the Burger King Bowl!", and so on. Is anything in our country scared any more? Actually I've got a good new name for the Albert Hall - the "Coca-Cola Dome"! Could catch on...

[max_tranmere]

final line: 'sacred' - not 'scared' - lol.

[Milk Tray Man]

Sad sign of the times. The corporate moneymen and commercialisation have taken over to the extent that everything in terms of venues, events etc. now has to be named after a company or "sponsored by". Even the fucking weather forecast.

[andy at handiwork]

Despite several name changes over the years, I still call the concert venue in west London the Hammersmith Odeon. I presume people will still refer to Wembley Stadium as simply Wembley whatever the official title foisted on us.

[Peter]

andy at handiwork wrote:

> Despite several name changes over the years, I still call the
> concert venue in west London the Hammersmith Odeon. I presume
> people will still refer to Wembley Stadium as simply Wembley
> whatever the official title foisted on us.

Yep, I don't think too many Newcastle fans cal it the 'sports direct stadium @ St. James' Park' or whatever ludicrous title they've given it.

I'm interested in how the new grounds, which have always had a sponsors name since they were built, will be referred to if and when the sponsor changes. The Reebok will always be called that,(by the people who matter) regardless of who's paying for the naming rights. Huddersfields ground has changed sponsors, you everyone I know still refers to it as 'The McAlpine'.

[max_tranmere]

I think someone high-up should pass a law saying certain names should not change. "Wembley" is so associated with high-level football, the nation's stadium, it should always be that and there shouldn't be any possibility of it being called anything other than Wembley Stadium. There is no threat to change the name of the stadium - yet - but it's likely that is by accident rather than by design. If a company came along with mega-money and proposed a name change I'm sure it will be considered. It should be made a firm rule that the stadium should always be 'Wembley Stadium' and nothing else. It is as important that that remains the case as it is that Big Ben is always called Big Ben. Both are national institutions.

As far as I'm aware the arena and original stadium were left over from the British Empire Exhibition of the 1920's, I've not researched this I just remember hearing it once. The arena was originally called the Empire Pool and was mainly an ice rink, I think. Its name was later changed to Wembley Arena and has been mainly a concert venue ever since - but we've known it so much as Wembley Arena, for decades, that it's as if it's always been that. I note what people have said above about other venues in the country and how they're still referred to, when people talk, by their original names - like Hammersmith Odeon and St James Park. I just hope people ignore the new name of Wembley Arena and continue, in conversation, to still call it that - even though officially it's now something else. I hope the media still call it 'Wembley Arena' too.

[JamesW]

Peter wrote:

> Yep, I don't think too many Newcastle fans cal it the 'sports
> direct stadium @ St. James' Park' or whatever ludicrous title
> they've given it.


The ludicrous title is St James' Park (since October 2012).

[JamesW]

max_tranmere wrote:

> There is no threat to change the
> name of the stadium - yet - but it's likely that is by accident
> rather than by design. If a company came along with mega-money
> and proposed a name change I'm sure it will be considered.


Nothing you say is accurate.

Naming rights for Wembley Stadium are NOT available and offers WILL NOT be considered. And that's NOT by accident rather than design as you claim.

For the record, Wembley Stadium is already sponsored my mobile operator EE and that deal precludes the sale of naming rights to anyone else.

[max_tranmere]

I hope you're right.

[JamesW]

I'm definitely right. Until 2020 at least.